Shots and Angles
Shots and angles is a way of telling a stories genre. In the clip we saw there were lots of high angle shots and low angle shots. High angle shot is used to show the character or an object to look small. It’s even used to show a tall person to an average height. Low angle shot is used to show the character or an object big and enormous. In this scene the camera shoots the lady with a high angle but then shows the killer in low angle, this is because to show that the victim that she is small to the killer and helpless. The killer is to be shown big and scary and to be looked by audience as if the killer is in control. To do this they have used low angle and high angle shots which is a horror convention. Also there were some extreme close-ups and close-ups. This was to show the emotions of the victim. The victim was mainly shown in the clip and focused less on the killer, this is because they don’t want find out who it is now and keep it as a surprise to the end. Which every horror is all about, to make the audience feel scary. Also to make the get involved in the film. And to let them no who was the killer or the mystery at the end. And only in this clip 41 shots were taken.
Props
It’s obvious that Psycho is horror film. We could prove that by the props that are been used. Blood is used as a main prop in the scene, knife that the killer has and also the mask he wear. If a knife is present in a scene we know that some one is going to get stabbed. This stabbing scene could be an action genre but it’s more applicable in horror. These props suggest that this is a horror movie because in comedy or romantic genres you would rarely be ably to see a stabbing scene and blood. Not only that, the killer stabs the victim 8 times. The killer is wearing a mask and don’t wants to show his face which is a convention of horror.
Sounds ( Diegetic and Non – Diegetic )
The clip includes both digetic and non-digetic sounds. In the clip there were sounds like stabbing noise, the victim’s piercing, screaming. In start of that clip the background music is quiet which is the non-diegetic sound, but as soon as the killer gets closer to the victim the background music gets dramatic, violins is used to create that dramatic atmosphere. Digetic noise like the stabbing which was very deep and created that feeling that the knife went right through the body and when it came out the blood pours out. These noises identifies that this is a horror. Use of the dramatic violins at the background is to create suspense and make the audience feel afraid and scared. All of these tell us the film is horror.
Conventions
Convention could also be used to identify genre. Conventions of horror in the clip are the followings. A blonde white girl gets murdered. It’s not an Asian or a black girl gets killed in Psycho its white and blonde girl who is murdered. She also seems to be enjoying herself in the shower but she is not allowed and we know that she is going to get killed because she is lonely and it is a convention of horror. Grabbing the curtain , to show that she doesn’t wants to die and also to show us she is trying to hold on to her life. Humiliating the victim, were the body lies in bath with contaminated blood and water. This is a convention as well that is been used. An escape for the murder, were after stabbing he escapes without any trouble. This is a convention too.
Characters
There are only two characters in this scene. There is a blonde white girl and a disguised murder. The killer wears a mask and doesn’t want to show himself this is because the murderer might be related or known to the victim.
